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Is the Silk’n infinity permanent hair remover worth the £269 price tag? We put it to the test

No more monthly wax, save your pennies and your time with this at-home beauty device

Louise Whitbread
Thursday 02 September 2021 10:26 BST
It claims to be able to complete a full-body treatment in less than 20 minutes
It claims to be able to complete a full-body treatment in less than 20 minutes (iStock/The Independent)

When it comes to at-home hair removal, there’s plenty of options. We’ve come a long way from shaving too, and have a plethora of electric devices at our disposal.

If you’re looking for long-term results, little hair regrowth and a speedy application that’s pain-free, intense pulsed light technology, or IPL for short, is a worthy contender.

While not quite as common as waxing, it’s a fairly simple process that destroys the hair at the root using light energy. Depending on the device, it can take just minutes to treat your whole body. However, it does require commitment, with the recommended usage between weekly and fortnightly for 12 weeks, then topped up as needed.

How we tested

One we’ve spent weeks putting through its paces is the Silk’n infinity permanent hair remover (£269, Silkn.co.uk), in order to find out if it’s worth a spot in our hall of fame for IPL machines. It’s also one of the few devices on the market that claims to be able to treat blonde hair and dark skin tones.

Each time before using we prepped our skin – it needs to be silky smooth to see the best results – and noted how easy it glided over our limbs and also any pain or sensation we experienced. In the days that followed a session we kept a close eye on regrowth, and kept an eye on how quickly we saw a difference from one week to the next.

Read more:

Here’s what we thought of the Silk’n permanent hair remover.

Silk'n infinity permanent hair remover

silk'n infinity hair removal.jpg

Buy now £269, Silkn.co.uk

The corded device arrives in a padded protective box, making for easy storage and safekeeping when not in use. It contains the machine, a power bank, and plug, instructions and a cleaning cloth.

In the center of the hand-size device is a huge button, press it and you can connect your device to the Silk’n infinity app which allows you to customise your treatment setting and keep track of when you next need to use it.

The brand recommends using it every two weeks for the first two months, then every four weeks, and then treat as needed, and consistency is key to seeing results. If you’re forgetful like us, setting reminders is a handy way to make sure you remain committed to regular sessions.

Read more: What is IPL hair removal? Differences to laser and how they both work

To use, you need to have your fingers on the back of the device, on the large silver section, and on the button simultaneously, which is easy when treating underarms, but fiddlier when working on your legs, but it gets easier to adjust to with continuous use.

It’s designed to use eHPL, which is a combination of glavanic energy and optical energy, which widens your pores and lets the light reach hair follicles, without any irritation. When placed flat on the skin, it emits a flash, but it’s not overwhelmingly bright. This device doesn’t come with protective sunglasses included, so if you’re finding it too much, try using it only in daylight and wearing your own sunglasses.

It was after treatment four that we began to see real results, without our underarm hair thinning and by treatment number five, there was barely any regrowth. We were particularly pleased to see this on our underarms as, if you like the area clean-shaven, it can require daily shaving.

Read more: 8 best laser hair-removal and IPL machines to use at home

We can confidently say its painless too, with little sensation other than a warming feel every now and then, but overall it’s an easy, fuss-free tool. It’s also not the most expensive IPL device on the market, sitting in the mid-price range, we’d go as far as to say it’s very reasonable if you’re new to permanent hair removal treatments at home.

The verdict: Silk’n infinity permanent hair remover

If you like your tech gadgets, beauty or not, the Silk’n infinity permanent hair remover is a fun device to get to grips with, and has uncomplicated settings to get going immediately once plugged in. The button to activate it is big, and the setting take seconds to get to grips with, and there’s zero painful sensation.

We loved the app that allowed us to set reminders as it’s easy to forget and miss a week of treatment, which will only slow progress, so a handy aid is very welcome.

  1. £269 from Silkn.co.uk
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